Harry Connick, Jr. Mentors As The Idols Sing The Songs Of Sinatra!

May 4th, 2010

I can’t tell you enough how SUPER EXCITED I am that Harry Connick Jr.’s mentoring the American Idol Top 5 tonight! Harry has been one of my favorites for years & years. I was even devastated when Harry married his wife☺. I mean, he could’ve waited for me! But I understand…she was a Victoria’s Secret model, lol! For the newbies, Harry was the precursor to Michael Buble. But seriously, he’s extremely talented & the Idols are lucky to have the chance to work with him. Not only did he mentor them, but he arranged their performances & will be accompanying them on piano during their live performances with some of his band members.

Harry’s perfect to mentor the Idols as they sing songs from The Frank Sinatra Songbook. The old standards that Harry sings & that Frank sang are some of my favorite songs ever. This is a special night for me! Btw, Sinatra’s daughters Nancy & Tina were in the audience tonight and they had a special gift for Simon! Turns out, Simon’s a big Frank Sinatra fan, so they were so kind to bring him their Dad’s “F.A.S.” monogrammed hanky…how exciting is that?!

Aaron Kelly: Harry’s always been a funny & playful guy, so he had jokes when Aaron 1st walked in the room…he yelled out, ‘Big Mike!’, lol! Aaron’s singing “Fly Me To The Moon”…completely awesome song! Harry gave him advice on transitioning from a note to fit the chords being played by the band. He says he really likes Aaron & that he’s got such a sweet voice. Harry’s right, Aaron’s got a sweet voice. He doesn’t sound bad singing this song. But to be singing a song with such hopeful & playful lyrics about love, his demeanor onstage was just way too serious for me. He sounded decent though. Randy thought he did a really good job. Ellen joked that she thought the piano was a little pitchy, which got a big laugh from Harry, lol! Ellen thought he really pulled the performance off & had beautiful vocals. Kara thought it was good, but thinks it wasn’t as strong compared to last week. Kara suggested that Aaron learn a little more charisma & how to fill up the stage. I guess that was a little along the lines of what I mentioned. He really needs to interpret the words of the song better. His facial expressions & presence onstage just didn’t match the message of the song in my opinion. But Kara did say that she expected to see Aaron still on the show next week. Simon mentioned that he’ll treasure his Sinatra hanky for the rest of his life! He said that he adored Frank because he was the king of cool with a swagger & a believability. He said that if Frank was a lion, Aaron was just a mouse. Again, along the same line of thought that I mentioned. These kids have it hard tonight because we’re gonna be thinking about Frank Sinatra with every note they try to hit & with every step they take onstage. Frank’s singing was amazing & his stage presence was full of confidence. But Simon ended by saying that Aaron tries hard and that’s why people like him.

Casey James: Casey says he’s been listening to Harry his whole life, so it was totally awesome to work with him! Casey chose to sing “Blue Skies.” Of all the contestants, I worried this week that Casey’s bluesy sound wouldn’t do well with singing these old standards. But Harry said that he thought Casey would do great. He said that it doesn’t seem to be about the lyrics with Casey, but it’s about being the vehicle for his blues. That’s odd to say since lyrics are so important to the song & a singer’s interpretation of them. But I trust Harry’s instincts & musical opinions because he’s so brilliant musically. He says that sometimes it’s not about the lyrics, but about the groove. I have to say that after his performance…I was pleasantly surprised that Casey didn’t sound terrible! I mean, it was nothing near to how Sinatra would sound, but it wasn’t horrendous. Randy thought it was Casey’s worst performance, wow. Ellen thought the performance was very stiff. Kara said that it took Casey a long time to relax, but that at least he held some good notes. But then she said he sounded like a lamb…I don’t think that’s a compliment! Simon said that Casey wasn’t fantastic & that he came across as embarrassed and a bit awkward. Btw, Harry mentioned that Casey sang the song better in rehearsals earlier in the night. Wow, rough judging session for Casey.

~Sidebar~ Sir Anthony Hopkins was in the Idol audience 2nite!

Crystal Bowersox: Singing “Summer Wind.” I love Nat “King” Cole’s version of this song. Harry said that what he liked about Crystal’s interpretation was that she was singing about something personal. He actually didn’t have much mentoring advice for Crystal because he felt that she was already ready. Huge compliment! And she looked beautiful with her updo & her black, lacy evening gown! Crystal not only looked the part, but she sang the song well. Her voice sounded great with the big band…the music didn’t over power her. She sang strong when the band got big & she sang soft & tender when the song called for it. She was just great. She could’ve fit right into a smoky piano bar singing jazz tunes! And although we’re used to comparing her to Melissa Etheridge & Bonnie Raitt, Crystal showed that she’s versatile enough to sing the old standards too! And all along, she remained true to who she is as an artist because she made the song hers! And that’s why you gotta love Crystal Bowersox! Randy thought it was just okay & a little sleepy for him. Ellen wanted her to loosen up more, but said that Crystal has so many different sides to her, that it’s really impressive. Kara said that it was out of Crystal’s element, but she kind of liked it because she had great phrasing. Simon loved the song, but wasn’t sure if he would’ve chosen it for Crystal. He said the 1st half was too jazzy, but the 2nd half was better. The judges weren’t as impressed with her as I was!

Michael Lynche: Singing “The Way You Look Tonight.” Harry says that this is one of his favorite songs. He suggests that with a song as wonderful as this, you don’t have to mess with the melody too much. He told Michael to think about his wife when he sings this song so that the words are true for him. Michael sounded lovely, as usual. It’s funny how every time he starts singing another line, Big Mike has to lick his lips! Lol, watch out LL Cool J! Randy thought that Harry’s arrangement was unbelievable and that Big Mike’s vocals were unbelievable! Ellen says that Mike seems to have the most confidence onstage compared to the other contestants. She said he looked the part, he sounded the part, he had lots of charisma, smoothness & was very good. Kara said that Mike found the drama in the song…he took us up, he took us down & took us on a journey. She said he did everything right, including not losing himself in the song. Simon said that the 1st three performances were just okay, but that Big Mike’s performance was better. He said that everything worked, was fantastic & well done!

Lee Dewyze: Singing “That’s Life.” Harry says that he likes Lee a lot & that his wife thinks he’s really cute! He joked that Lee is a new & improved version of him! The advice Harry had for Lee was to make sure he emphasized certain words in the song while singing them so that the audience really knows the story of what he’s been through. Lee sounded pretty good singing this song. It was a good song choice for him, but I wish that his stage presence was a little more commanding. The song was a good fit for his personality though. Randy loved Lee’s performance. Ellen said that if this was the last night of performances, Lee would’ve just won the whole thing. Hmm, I wouldn’t agree with that because Big Mike’s stage presence & vocals were better than Lee’s. Kara thought the performance was amazing & suggested that Lee practice believing that he can win the contest. Simon said that Harry brought out Lee’s personality & his confidence. Simon thought it was the best performance of the night.

It was a great evening! Harry was the most fun & informative mentor so far this season & I can’t wait to see him performing on Idol 2morrow night. Lady Gaga will also return to the Idol stage 2morrow. Going strictly from the judges’ comments, Casey, Aaron & Crystal may wind up in the Bottom 3. And if I were a betting woman, I’d say Casey will be the one going home. Aaron would be my next choice to go home. Results Show is tomorrow.

Dr. Ian Smith’s New Book “Happy”!

April 30th, 2010

Today was the 1st day of my vacation & I was super excited! I’m not going anywhere, so you can call it a staycation ;-) I’ll just be resting (highly underrated), Spring cleaning, looking at possible new apartments & hanging out with friends. I kicked off my vacation by hanging out with a couple of my close friends.

That’s me & my friend Dr. Ian Smith. We also hung out with our mutual friend Michele Leone.

I’ve known Ian since I 1st moved to the NYC area. He lives in Chicago now with his wife & kids, but we still keep in touch from time to time. Ian’s in town to promote his new book “Happy: Simple Steps to Get the Most Out of Life.”

I saw Ian on the Today Show this morning talking about the book. In fact, he’s been all over the TV talking about it. He gave me a signed copy of it while we were at lunch, so I’ll definitely make sure I give it a read while I’m on vacation…never hurts to know more about being happy! Be sure to show Ian some love & support by picking up his new book. Btw…

We had lunch at Del Frisco’s in Rockefeller Center. The food was super yummy & I LOVED their signature drink called The V.I.P, which is made with pineapple marinated in vodka for about 14 days! So you know I had to have a couple of those…Cheers! Be sure to keep checking back, I’ll keep you posted on my vacation adventures!

Fun In Harlem…Take 1!

April 29th, 2010

I’m a Southern Belle to the core, a native of Houston, Texas. But my dreams & career brought be to New York City 9 years ago come this July. Wow, time flies! Anyway…while I work for a NYC radio station, I’ve always made my home right outside of NYC in Hoboken, New Jersey. To be clear, I LOVE HOBOKEN! It’s such a charming little mile-wide town. If you’ve never been to or heard of Hoboken, it’s right across the Hudson River from Manhattan…

That’s just one of the many gorgeous views of Manhattan from the Hoboken Waterfront. I always say that the best views of The City are from outside The City. As soon as you drive into Hoboken, the sign reads, “Welcome To Hoboken, Birth Place of Baseball & Frank Sinatra”!

As a matter of fact, I have this poster of Frank Sinatra near my apartment door…

So every time I leave my apartment I say, ‘Frank, I’m going out into your town!’ Lol!

~Sidebar~Can’t wait for the American Idol contestants to perform songs from The Frank Sinatra Songbook next week! They’ll be mentored by Harry Connick, Jr., who I also LOVE! He’ll be performing during the Results Show. Lady Gaga’s also performing during that show. If you haven’t watched my interview with Lady Gaga, be sure to head over to The Shelley Wade Treatment section of this site to check it out!

So back to Hoboken…I’ve really loved living here for the last 9 years, but I also really feel like I need a change. It saddens me to think about leaving, but I’m actually seriously considering getting rid of my vehicle & moving up to Harlem! I’ve been in touch with several friends who live in Harlem. I found one friend who really hated it, but the overwhelming majority of them LOVE Harlem. I’ve spent lots of time in Harlem since I’ve lived in this area, but I’ve never seriously considered living there. So my goal is to spend a little more time there in the coming weeks to assess how I’d feel making it my home. To that end, a few friends have invited me up to hang out with them. So I’ll be taking them up on their offers this week & next week while I’m on staycation. As a matter of fact my friend, Super Attorney Keven Davis, invited me to have dinner with him & a few others at Melba’s in Harlem earlier this week and I had a blast!

First of all, Melba’s has some of THE best Soul Food in New York City! I had the Fried Catfish, Mac & Cheese, Sauteed Spinach and a couple of White Wine Sangrias…yummo! I was very tempted to order the Chicken & Waffles since it’s one of my favorite Soul Food dishes (I am a Southern Belle after all, lol), but I went for the Catfish. I got the chance to actually meet the owner, Melba Wilson, while I was there…

I told Melba that if I decided to move to Harlem, I’d be a regular at her restaurant! If you’ve never been, I’d suggest trying it right away! Click Here for the link to their website. I have to send a big shout out to the friends that I hung out with…

That’s Anna Triggs & my friend Keven. Btw, Anna gave me a tour of her home afterwards. I was so impressed with her sweeping views of the Hudson River & George Washington Bridge…gorgeousness! I’ll definitely have to consider looking for a place in her area as well. Thanks Anna!

That’s award-winning New York Times Sports Writer Bill Rhoden & Attorney Taryn Brown. Bill & his wife Sharon Lopez (who wasn’t with us at Melba’s) were so kind to invite me to their home a couple of Thanksgivings ago. I’ve also visited them at their home in The Hamptons & they are the consummate hosts! I plan to visit them in The Hamptons again this summer…can’t wait! Taryn & I had a great conversation about Texas because before becoming an attorney, she played basketball for the University of Texas…Hoom Em Horns! There were several other members of our dinner party, but I didn’t start taking pictures until they left. We had such a fun time! Great food, great drinks, great company & we can’t forget about the great music!

That’s me with singer Peta Wane. He & Fred McFarlane host a music night every Tuesday at Melba’s. Wow, Peta sang everything from Michael Jackson, to Prince, to Fleetwood Mac, to Trey Songz…and we were singing & dancing right along with him! He’s got a beautiful voice & he gave me several shouts during the night, so I gotta send a big shout out to him! Nas was even there!

My camera phone didn’t capture the images well, but I took a couple of pictures of Nas dancing with a birthday girl & Melba…

Fun times were had by all! Another friend will be giving me his tour of Harlem this weekend, so I’ll keep you posted on what I decide :-)

Here’s Who Was Voted Off American Idol! Did America Get It Right?

April 28th, 2010

After 33 million votes, the results are in. By the end of the show, we’ll know which of the Top 6 will be going home. To kick off the show though, Rascal Flatts performed their song “Unstoppable.” This was a change of pace since most results shows kick off with the Idol contestants performing a song from the week’s theme.

After a break, they showed footage of the contestants visiting Mike Mitchell, the director of “Shrek Forever After.” They all got a chance to practice voicing scenes from the movie. They were then treated to a screening of the movie. “Shrek Forever After” stars Cameron Diaz & Antonio Banderas joined Ryan onstage to talk about the movie, which comes out May 21st in 3D.

Finally down to business, time to find out who’s safe & who’s not. The contestants were all lined up onstage in twos. Siobhan Magnus & Lee Dewyze, Aaron Kelly & Crystal Bowersox, Michael Lynche & Casey James. Of course since there’s got to be 3 in the bottom, Ryan did some stage maneauvering with the contestants. He moved Siobhan Magnus over with Big Mike & Casey and revealed that this was the Bottom 3! Wow, totally not what I predicted. I would have predicted Aaron Kelly to leave. So that means, that Aaron, Crystal & Lee are safe & will be in the Top 5! But sadly, Big Mike, Siobhan & Casey are in the Bottom 3 this week. If I had to chose someone to go home out of this group, I’d chose Siobhan. We’ll see who America chose to go home in a few.

After a break, Idol alum Carrie Underwood introduced her friends & tour mates Sons of Sylvia to perform “Love Left To Lose.”

Continuing Country Week, Lady Antebellum performed their smash hit “Need You Now.”
FYI, this is actually a performance they recorded a couple of weeks ago. Btw, Hilary of Lady Antebellum tried out to be an American Idol contestant twice before becoming famous, but never made it past the 1st round of auditions!

After the break, Shakira joined Rascal Flatts onstage to perform her song “Gypsy.” Love her!

Ryan then gives Big Mike the good news that he’s safe. After hugging it out with Siobhan & Casey, he has a seat with the rest of the safe ones.

After the final break, Siobhan & Casey stand onstage to learn their fate. Ryan then delivers the tough news to Siobhan that she’s going home tonight.

Even with the support of the Vote For The Worst people, Siobhan could not be saved. She’s truly talented & many thought that she’d be close to the top, but even her signature screaming couldn’t save her. This is a tough one because at this point, nothing but talented people will be voted off. It’s the nature of the beast. So here’s’ the list of the Season 9 Top 5:

Crystal Bowersox
Michael Lynche,
Casey James,
Lee Dewyze &
Aaron Kelly

They’ll be mentored by Harry Connick, Jr. next week! You have no idea how much I love Harry Connick, Jr.!!! He’ll coach them as the perform songs from The Frank Sinatra Song Book!

Who Do I Think Will Be Voted Off American Idol 2nite?

April 28th, 2010

After a successful turn as a guest judge at the beginning of the season, Shania Twain returned to Idol last night to mentor the Final 6/Top 6 contestants. The contestants also performed songs from Shania’s songbook. Shania told the contestants that she wanted to see her songs come alive when they performed them. She said that she’s lived them, she wrote them, but that they really had to interpret the songs as if they wrote them themselves…

Lee Dewyze: Singing Shania’s “You’re Still The One.” Shania said that Lee has this fantastic style that needs to come out & not be buried by his guitar. Shania advised him to not rush the song so much & to start it with just voice & piano. In my opinion, Lee started off the song on a low note. I mean really…he was singing the song too low. So when he finally did correct that & go to the right, higher note, it was extremely noticeable & didn’t sound good. That said, he didn’t sound bad singing the song, that error in notes just took too much attention away from the rest of the song. His last note was off as well. Not a particularly special night for Lee for me. Randy said it started out…you guessed it…pitchy! That’s Randy’s favorite word this season. Seems like he’s been saying it more than he says dawg, lol. Anyway…he felt that towards the middle of the song, Lee found a way to make the song his and did a pretty good job with it. Ellen said that every song Lee takes, he makes it his own. She said he couldn’t look cuter! Kara said the sound of Lee’s voice on every song makes it sound so relevant. She thought he did a good job. Simon thought it was the perfect song for him to choose. Simon & Kara argued over the faces Lee made during the performance, but did any of these judges actually listen to the performance?! His notes were way out of sync in the beginning & then again at the end. I don’t see how they could rave about that performance with the notes being the way they were…?

Michael Lynche: Singing “It Only Hurts When I’m Breathing.” Shania said that she was very moved to hear Michael’s voice to her lyrics & to her melody. She said that he’s one of those guys who could sing the phone book & everybody would still melt! Wow, what a nice compliment. But she warned him not to take that gift for granted because the only ones who make it at the end, are the ones who are feeling it the most. She says she think’s he’ll be able to make the connection with this song & not just be another great voice. Big Mike sounded just lovely singing this song. I really felt his emotions very strongly & thought the last note he hit was not only pretty, but unexpected because of how high it was. Good job! Shania looked very impressed & almost like she wanted to cry. Randy says that Mike’s really found his zone on the show and that he did a great job. Ellen says the performance felt like Luther Vandross & that she felt his emotion through the performance. She thought it was beautiful. Kara says that she always feels that connection from Mike & that he goes to that place that relates to him & that’s what she appreciates the most. She said that he did a great job & changed the song just enough to put his mark on it. Simon agreed with Ellen’s comparison of Mike to Luther Vandross. However, he thought the performance was like Mike was in a musical acting out the words & that it was a little bit girly for Mike. That’s one of the few times I felt Simon sounded absolutely out of his mind & ridiculous. Beautiful performance from Big Mike…beautiful!

Casey James: Singing “Don’t.” Shania says that she senses Casey is missing a little inner confidence. She says he’s a handsome guy & has everything going for him, but that his true confidence is gonna come out in the way he tells the story. She urged him to bring it inside & let it come out through his voice. Casey says that he’s excited about this performance more than any other so far because he has the opportunity to sing more & show us something different…which is what the judges want to see from him.
Casey looked extra cute. He sounded really good singing it, but I always think he sounds good. It was nice to hear him singing something vulnerable again because it appeals to our emotions more than his fast songs. Randy said it was one of the best Casey James performances EVER! Ellen said he sang the song like that’s where he really belongs…referring to the style of music he should sing. She thought it was beautiful & his best performance to date. Kara says that artists don’t hide the good, the bad, the ugly and that’s what he did in that performance…he didn’t hide. She said he was vulnerable, raw & if he keeps being that way, he’ll be at the front of this competition. Simon agrees that this was probably Casey’s best performance so far. He said he sang the song in a way that it didn’t feel like somebody else’s song. And in a strange suggestion, he told Casey to come down from the stage to give Shania a kiss on the lips, wow! While Casey did leave the stage to give Shania a hug, but he didn’t kiss her on the lips…appropriately! As she hugged him, Shania told Casey that he nailed the performance!

Crystal Bowersox: Singing “No One Needs To Know.” Shania suggested that Crystal needs to let the song remind her of how it really applies to her real life right now. She also told her to be a bit happier in her tone of singing because it’s a cheerful song. Crystal says that the song is a message to her boyfriend, that she’s dropping hints & that he’ll man up one of these days. Well if her daughter his by her boyfriend, he shouldn’t need that much convincing to ask her to marry him, lol. There was nothing mind blowing about Crystal’s performance. It was a sweet little cute song and that’s the way she performed it. She sounded good. But it’s hard to top a performance like the one she had last week, which was absolutely amazing! Randy loved the arrangement of the song, but it wasn’t one of his favorite performances by her. He did love that she did a country version one of Shania’s songs…it is Country Week after all! Ellen says that Crystal has a great voice & that there’s just nothing she can’t do. She says that it wasn’t one of her favorite Crystal performances, but that it’s like saying what’s your least favorite color of the rainbow…she’s just brilliant & always good. Kara says it’s kinda impossible for Crystal not to be good because she’s always coming from a place of truth. She said it wasn’t her best, but she’s still amazing. Simon said that the judges didn’t like Crystal this week. Um, did he actually listen to the other judges?! They didn’t say they disliked her performance, they said it wasn’t her best. It’s not the same thing! Simon says he didn’t feel any conviction from her & with apologies to Shania, he says the song was a little weaker than the other songs. Simon’s a bit off the mark today.

Aaron Kelly: Singing “You Got A Way.” Shania says that this song suits Aaron beautifully. But she also said that he’s preoccupied with hitting the note, which makes him come across as unsure. She wanted him to feel like he’s here already, we already love him…now he needs to give us what HE loves. This was one of the only times I felt that Aaron didn’t start off his performance with shaky, nervous notes. I agree with Shania that this song is perfect for him. He sounds good singing it, but there seems to be something missing in the performance. I don’t know exactly what it is. It’s like he needs to make it sound & feel bigger. But he sounded good & I liked his last note. Randy feels that Aaron is our Country artist on the show this year & that he did a really good job. Ellen said that everybody’s doing well tonight, so it’s gonna be tough to vote someone off. She says she can’t get over the fact that he’s 17-years-old & shows so much maturity & emotional depth in his song interpretation. Kara agrees with Ellen about Aaron’s maturity & the emotion he shows during the performances. She also said it was smart of him to change a lyric from “when we make love” because it would have been inappropriate for him to sing that line at his age. And aww, how sweet…he said he was singing the song to his Mom! That’ll win him some adorable votes, not to mention the fact that Mother’s Day is just around the corner! Simon said that Aaron struggled the last few weeks, but he was like a different artist this week. He says that this is the kind of record he should make because it felt sincere & believable. He said that Aaron did a good job.

Siobhan Magnus: Singing “Any Man Of Mine.” Shania told Siobhan that she always looks so beautiful. Shania says that this song’s all about attitude & about a woman who knows what she wants, so she suggested that Siobhan needs to know that she’s playing a role in this song and that she’s gotta get into character. Right from the beginning of the performance, I already feel Siobhan isn’t singing it with enough attitude. I like that she seems like she’s having fun & engaging the audience more by having them clap & walking out into the audience. She just didn’t interpret the lyrics the way Shania urged her to. However, she ended the song with some big notes & that scream of hers that everyone else seems to like so much. Shania didn’t look so impressed at the end of Siobhan’s performance, but Randy loved it! He loved the look & the big notes. Ellen says it was a good way to end the show. Kara says that Siobhan is back. Simon says that he really liked the song & that it was perfect. He thought the screaming at the end was a bit much, but he thought it was fun.

I agree that it’ll be pretty tough to decide who goes home tonight. There were really no terrible performances. Strictly judging from vocals, I feel that Lee had the worst performance. Not because he sounded bad, but because his notes were all over the place. And again, if we’re strictly judging from vocals, Big Mike had the best vocal performance of the night. Casey seemed to connect with people on a deeper level this week. Crystal didn’t wow us like last week, but she still sounded good. I would be pretty devastated if she were to go home tonight since I’d like to see her win the whole thing. Aaron sounded really good, but I don’t think he’s developed a loyal enough following to guarantee he’ll stay. Siobhan is now the Vote For The Worst people’s poster girl, so they have their whole army voting for her. I don’t think she’ll be going home because of that & because people seemed to like her performance this week. Because everyone performed decently this week, I think that any 3 of them could end up in the bottom. There’s also the possibility that there will be a shocker & that one of the more popular contestants will be voted off if America takes for granted that they don’t need their votes. That has happened before…a contestant is a fan favorite, so they don’t vote for them because they think there’s no way they’ll end up in the Bottom 3. But because everyone assumed they didn’t need help & didn’t vote for them, they ended up in the bottom & eventually voted off. It could happen! But if I really had to choose a person to be voted off, I’d go with Aaron Kelly. We’ll find out if I’m right later on tonight during the Results Show where Lady Antebellum & Rascal Flatts will also perform.

Shania Twain Mentors The Idols 2nite!

April 27th, 2010

Tim Urban (thankfully) was eliminated from AMERICAN IDOL last week during IDOL GIVES BACK.

Btw, now that Tim’s gone, the Vote For The Worst people have put all their support behind Siobhan Magnus! It’s good for her since they’re urging their followers to vote to keep her on the show. But it’s a bad choice on their part because Siobhan is certainly not the worst contestant on the show!

Tonight, the Top 6 finalists – Crystal Bowersox, Lee DeWyze, Casey James, Aaron Kelly, Michael Lynche and Siobhan Magnus – will take the stage on FOX to perform selections from the Shania Twain Songbook with help from guest mentor Shania Twain.

Wednesday, Lady Antebellum perform their smash single “Need You Now” and Rascal Flatts perform their hit “Unstoppable”. Wednesday will also be the night we find out who receives enough votes to stay in the competition and who is sent home.

Who Was Voted Off On Idol Gives Back Night?

April 21st, 2010

It was an incredibly moving evening for Idol Gives Back. Before the show was over, $17 million had already been raised for lots of great causes. Tons of celebs, corny Ryan Seacrest acting & great performances were also featured.

My favorite performance was the last one of the evening from Elton John. The picture above was actually of him during rehearsals. It was my favorite performance because he sang his classic “Your Song” and I found myself crying during the entire song because I’ve always thought the lyrics were so beautiful. I should hope that someone would want to write such pretty little song for me one day :-)

But after all the good deeds, it was time for someone to go home. As the Bottom 3 stood onstage, Aaron Kelly was sent to safety. That left Casey James & Tim Urban still standing. Then Ryan announced the best news EVER…

Tim Urban is finally going home! I don’t mean to be negative on such a giving night as Idol Gives Back, but Tim should have gone home long time ago. Too bad for the Vote For The Worst people…

It didn’t work this time…Goodbye my fellow Texan! He’s adorable & all, but it was time. Tim Urban is gone! Still on the Idols Live Tour unfortunately, but no longer on the show..yay!

Next week, Shania Twain will mentor the Top 6 with the theme being her music.

Here’s How Oprah’s Friend Chef Art Smith Lost 85 Pounds + More Success Stories!

April 21st, 2010

Here’s the picture of me just before I started my weight loss journey over a year ago…

And…

That’s one of the most recent pictures of me. Of course, I’m the one in the purple dress. I was at my friend Ed Stevens’ birthday party in Brooklyn. You can really tell in my face that I’ve made weight loss progress. And I have to thank my friends at New York Health & Racquet Club for helping me with my weight loss success so far!

I’m pretty proud of myself for the progress that I’ve made, but I’ve still got a long way to go & I’m taking it slow. We’re in the process of getting me a new trainer. I’m also about to start supplementing my trainer workouts with other classes at New York Health & Racquet Club. Now that it’s warm, I’m more willing to get out & do more. Keep checking back for my progress.

We’re all trying to get healthier and lose weight in preparation for summertime, so I thought I’d share some inspirational & motivational weight loss success stories with you…including Oprah’s friend Chef Art Smith! I hope these stories motivate you like they’ve motivated me :-)

According to Oprah.com

Just before celebrating his 50th birthday, Art Smith, Oprah’s former personal chef, discovered he needed reading glasses. “I thought I was just turning older,” he says.

Soon after, Art noticed other ailments that landed him in the emergency room. “I thought I was having a heart attack,” he says.

Finally, doctors delivered a shocking diagnosis–Art had diabetes. It horrified me because my father has diabetes. My mother has diabetes on her side of the family,” he says. “I just had to take action. If not, I wasn’t going to be around.”

Art lost 85 pounds through good, old-fashioned diet and exercise. Even better, his new healthy lifestyle reversed his diagnosis. “Once the belly fat disappears, then it’s no longer sending chemicals out to the muscles saying, ‘Ignore the insulin,’” Dr. Oz explains.

While he admits to occasionally indulging in a piece of real fried chicken, Art has found a way to make his signature dish healthier. “When I want to enjoy it more, [I] can make it lighter,” he says. “The fact is you’ve got to get rid of the skin and you’ve got to use a multigrain type of coating because it’s all in the crust was where the fat is.” Art also uses Greek yogurt instead of buttermilk to coat the chicken for less fat and more protein.

Though he’s done the hard work himself, Art says he couldn’t have done it without his loved ones. “[Friends said,] ‘We want you to stay with us,’” he says. “They embraced me.”

Art lost the weight by eating yummy foods like that Southern Unfried Chicken! I’m hoping that he’ll write a cookbook with more of the recipes that helped him lose weight. In the meantime, Here’s the recipe for the unfried chicken:

Servings: Serves 8

Ingredients:

Art Smith’s Southern Oven Unfried Chicken

*1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
*8 drumsticks , skinless
*4 chicken breasts , cut in half and skinless
*1 Tbsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce
*1 1/2 cup multigrain cereal flakes , crushed
*1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
*1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
*2 tsp. black pepper
*2 tsp. hot red pepper
*1 tsp. paprika

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl add yogurt, chicken pieces and hot sauce. Allow to soak. In bag, add crushed cereal flakes, and spices.

Shake corn flakes and spices well. Add chicken pieces and shake well. Place on sheet pan and allow to sit uncovered in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Place on lightly oiled pan and into the oven.

Bake chicken pieces for 35–40 minutes.

Serve hot or room temperature.

Nutritional Information:
Per Serving, About: Calories: 312 Protein: 29.7g Carbohydrates: 15.4g Dietary Fiber: 0.6g Sugars: 1.4g Total Fat: 13.6g Sodium: 204.6mg

Here are more weight loss success stories…

According to ThatsFit.com

Name: Christina Ramos

Age: 28

Height: 5 feet, 7 inches

Before Weight: 220 pounds

How I Gained It: Growing up, I had always been active with some sort of organized sports, whether it was soccer, track or lacrosse, but I started gaining weight when I stopped playing competitive sports after high school. After graduating, I didn’t play sports in college and pretty much stopped exercising altogether as a result. However, I continued to eat as if I was still working out two to three hours a day, which was definitely not the case. Most students gain the freshman 15, but I started to pack on the pounds the summer before I even set foot on campus. My eating habits worsened when I got to college. By January, I had gained over 40 pounds.

Breaking Point: My unhappiness with how I physically looked and felt was consuming my life and affecting my college experience — I realized I was avoiding social engagements and missing out on opportunities. College is supposed to be the time of your life, but I wasn’t making the most of it. The tipping point was seeing photos of myself at my heaviest and coming to the realization that I was as big as I felt.

How I Lost It: Once I had decided to make a change, I found a friend who would commit to running with me four days a week. We would run or walk in all types of weather after our classes in the middle of winter in Maine. Eventually we began running more and more as the weather got better, and by summer, I was hooked on running and I’ve been doing it ever since. Two years ago, I started joining 5K runs to challenge myself, and the last October, I completed my first half-marathon in under two hours.

But running hasn’t been my only tool in my weight loss journey. After graduating from college and starting my first full-time job, I found that cooking for myself, balancing work and finding time to hit the road was challenging and I slowly began to gain the weight back. I joined Weight Watchers with my best friend in May 2006 to help me maintain my weight loss, but I ended up losing more weight than I had actually gained. I became a “Lifetime Member” in 2007 and have never looked back.

Most importantly, I’ve changed my lifestyle and eating habits in order to be healthier, not just thinner. I have to remind myself of that every day, especially on those days that I slip up. When I do, I just get back on program with the next meal or through my workout. My weight can fluctuate two or three pounds depending on the season, but instead of obsessing over the weight I try to focus on how far I’ve come and how good I feel. I keep a picture of myself at my heaviest weight with me in my purse at all times to give me the perspective I sometimes need to encourage myself because I’m determined not to go back.

My goals going forward are to try new ways to exercise and tone my body. I’ve started lifting weights and playing soccer, and I also do circuit training, spinning classes and ab workouts. If I can’t make it to a fitness class or the gym, I work out at home using my own set of weights and free exercise shows. As I see my body slowly change, it’s empowering to know I have the strength and ability to change my body.

After Weight: 145 pounds

Real change takes time — it took Christina several years to reach her goal weight, but she’s maintained it for two years.

Chef Scott Wall in Walnut Creek, Calif. is an inspiration to men everywhere. If you think staying lean and healthy is difficult for you, then imagine what it’s like when it’s your job to create food most people would die for on a nightly basis. For Wall, that wasn’t easy, since he eats roughly 80 percent of his meals at the restaurant, where he has worked since graduating from culinary school in 2000. But after he tipped the scales at 330 pounds, he knew it was time for a change.

He’s lost an astonishing 125 pounds in the last two years by exercising and changing his diet. His new lease on life has also meant creating seasonal, healthy dishes that don’t skimp on flavor. Some of the dishes he’s designed (and now offers on his menu for his patrons to help them lose weight as well) include grilled steelhead salmon with English peas, asparagus and vine ripened tomato salsa, as well as blackened Alaskan Halibut with sweet corn and cherry tomato relish. Wall’s weight loss is infectious, which is why we asked him how he’s able to eat smart when his main job is to keep his customers full and satisfied.

That’s Fit: What was the downside health-wise of being in your profession?

Scott Wall: It’s definitely the long days of working in the kitchen with very little exercise. It’s a vicious cycle. I would consume large amounts of food at one sitting, usually late at night right before going to sleep. A lot of those meals were fast food because that was the only thing open after working every night. Add in a few after-work drinks and it was a very unhealthy combination.

TF: What made you decide that enough was enough with your weight?

SW: I just wasn’t feeling healthy any more. Plus, photos taken at our company picnic scared me — I didn’t realize quite how large I had become until I saw them. Throughout my life, I’ve always been athletic, but at my heaviest, I was nothing close to athletic. I would have times where I was short of breath doing things that never tired me out when I wasn’t as heavy, like walking up a flight of stairs in the parking garage, or getting to my truck after work. I was even shopping at Big and Tall to find pants that fit, which I’d never done before.

TF: What changes does a chef make with his diet to trim down?

SW: The most effective change I made to my diet was to cut out fried foods, cheeses and butter. I also try to eat more in the mornings now, knowing that I have all day to burn the calories off by being active. Plus, I spread my food consumption over four or five smaller meals in a day and stop eating several hours before going to bed.

Nutritionally, I haven’t had fast food in probably two years. I also don’t eat out nearly as much now, which is challenging because as a chef it’s part of my job to dine at other restaurants and see what’s out there, but it’s too much of a temptation. Other changes I made have included cutting out eating most breads and heavy carbs, and creating power salads. Instead of eating sandwiches, these salads include tons of vegetables (raw or blanched), proteins, like chicken breast or ahi tuna, a whole avocado, garlic, onions, herbs and jalapeños. I now dress my salads with lemon juice, vinegar and a little oil, or, with salsa. If I do eat a sandwich, I’ll use guacamole instead of mayonnaise and cheese. Finally, I’ve also cut out the majority of alcohol consumption, soda and energy drinks. The empty calories just weren’t worth it, so now, I drink lots of water and iced tea.

TF: Do you find time to work out with your busy schedule?

SW: Exercise played a huge role in my weight loss. I was working out around 5-6 days a week when I really began to drop the weight. When I would go to the gym, I try to work out harder because I knew I might not be there for a day or two. Now that I’ve reached my target weight, I’ve leveled that out a bit and work out two or three days a week.

TF: What activities really shaved off the pounds for you?

SW: I never got into taking classes at the gym because I can’t usually fit them into my schedule, since my only free time tends to be after work, which is between midnight and 2:00 a.m. So I began to run a lot more, which I never did before. I also played a lot of five-on-five full court basketball and lifted free weights to tone and build muscle. But now that I’ve lost the weight, I am really focusing on my abs more by doing a lot more core exercises to try and lose the extra skin I have left over on my belly.

TF: Finally, what’s been the biggest challenge for a chef that makes it difficult to stay slim?

SW: Being in the restaurant and surrounded by all this good food! A lot of our menu is really hearty stuff like meat and potatoes, especially in the colder winter months. It’s really hard to avoid things like the French fry bowl and staying away from the cheeses and breads. For me, it’s picking at food that I really had to stop, since I never found myself sitting down and eating a whole bowl of food. I also have trouble staying away from the desserts. The pastry chef we have is really creative and it’s hard to avoid them — and the cookie jar we have on the counter. But, you just have to be strict with yourself. You can just as easily snack on blanched green beans or broccoli as you can on mashed potatoes. It’s all a matter of just saying no — then shoving fruit into your mouth instead of a French fry!

S

Alicia Keys Mentors The Idols!

April 20th, 2010

That’s Alicia Keys & the Top 7! Since this is the week of Idol Gives Back, I thought it was a great idea to have Alicia Keys mentor the Idols tonight. She’s not only an extremely talented artist who can give good advice on the performer side of things, but she’s also given tirelessly of her time for her Keep A Child Alive charity.

Casey James: Singing “Don’t Stop” by Fleetwood Mac (Sidebar, check out my interview with Mick Fleetwood in The Shelley Wade Treatment section of this site). Alicia suggested that because the song is so well known, people may dismiss Casey’s rendition of it if he doesn’t really connect with the song. She says that he doesn’t want them to say, ‘I love THAT SONG.’ You want them so say, ‘I love HIM.’ Good advice. I agree that this is a classic song. And Casey’s doing a great job making the song his. He sounds good singing it & playing his guitar. I also love that he’s comfortable & connecting with the audience with his smile. Randy feels like it was a good performance, but not Casey’s best. He says that every week we’re seeing the same thing from Casey & he’d like to see something different. I kinda agree. Ellen says it was great guitar playing. She says that Casey’s consistently good, but that you have to be great at this point in the competition. Kara says that Casey made himself like everybody else tonight & didn’t show us why he’s different. She says she’s so frustrated about that because she still believes in him. Simon says that the song wasn’t particularly inspiring being that it’s Inspirational Week. He also said that Casey showed zero emotion & had little originality. I disagree with Simon’s opinion that Casey showed zero personality. But I understand what they all mean. Casey’s really talented, but he doesn’t stand out as the most talented contestant. He’s got good personality, but he’s not the one with the most personality. So when you fall somewhere in the middle, you don’t stand out sometimes.

Lee Dewyze: Singing “The Boxer” by Simon & Garfunkel. Alicia had Lee recite the lyrics to really drive home to him the meaning of the song. She suggested that he really remember what the song is about & to play the part of the boxer in the song while performing. I like Lee, but I’m not normally blown away with his performances like the judges always seem to be. I have to say though, tonight he really connected with me through this song. I could really feel the sincerity of his performance. He sounded great too. Randy says that Lee’s performance was very nice & that he’s one of his biggest fan. He also thinks that Lee will have a big career ahead of him. Ellen said it was a beautiful song choice. She says that Lee has so much soul & depth to him and that this was his best performance by far in her opinion. Kara said that Lee had his “moment” tonight. She also says that it shows clearly the difference when somebody feels connected to a song & performs it…and when they don’t. She advised him to keep singing songs he feels connected to because it takes him to another level. Simon says that even though he’s only the 2nd performer, it was the best of the night (ha ha). He said that the difference between Lee & Casey’s performance was staggering because Lee’s performance was sincere, emotional & inspirational. He thought the performance was absolutely brilliant. And well all know that it takes a lot to get that kind of glowing review from Simon!

~Sidebar~Captain Sully was in the audience…yay! Btw, I want Captain Sully to be my pilot every time I fly, lol!

Tim Urban: Singing “Better Days” by The Goo Goo Dolls. She gave Tim pretty much the same advice that she gave to Lee…take care to feel the lyrics & what the song’s about. It’s no secret that I feel that Tim has the least vocal talent out of everyone in the competition this season. That said, he sounds decent singing this song. His notes are a little suspect when he tries to sing a little higher, but he kept it within the boundaries & didn’t lose control. He also did a good job with relaying the feeling of the song. His performance wasn’t as inspiring at Lee’s, but Lee can actually sing, so we can’t go comparing the two too much, now can we. Randy says that John Resnick of the Goo Goo Dolls is an amazing singer, but that Tim’s version sounded like mediocre karaoke. Ellen says that Tim is like the soup of the day…sometimes she likes the soup & sometimes she doesn’t, lol. Tonight, she didn’t like the soup! Kara says that Tim’s found his correct lane, so he’s going the right direction. But she didn’t feel he executed the performance well tonight. She said it wasn’t his best performance. Simon said that although Tim has improved over the weeks, tonight was a little bit of a letdown. I will give this to Tim…I agree with Simon that he’s improved over the weeks. But that’s saying nothing as far as I’m concerned. There were tons of contestants that they eliminated during Hollywood Week that could sing circles around Tim! Heck, the contestants from the Top 24 that have been voted off these past few weeks could sing circles around Tim! So I’m not impressed at all that he’s improved over the weeks. How bout having someone on the show who’s already good & doesn’t have to work at proving that he’s good!

Aaron Kelly: Singing “I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly. My immediate thought was this is a song that Aaron could really sound good singing. Alicia felt that Aaron had a challenge on his hands because this is one of those songs that could almost be overkill to some. She suggested that he should sound deep, pure & passionate while singing it. She also says that when he sings the word “fly” at the end, the audience has to believe that there’s nothing that’s gonna stop him. She says that if he could almost be crying at the end of the song, then he’ll take it to another place! I always have this sense that Aaron’s notes are weak at the beginning of his songs. But he always manages to pull it out & deliver a solid performance at the end. This time though, he was off key with so many of his notes. And as inspirational as this song always is, I just wasn’t inspired hearing Aaron singing it. And that surprises me because in theory, it seemed like a good song choice for him. I kept waiting for him to reach that feel good climax in the song, but it never came. I guess you could say that I was never satisfied, lol. Randy says that this was a huge song for Aaron to chose. He didn’t like the musical arrangement, but felt that Aaron did a good job with such a giant song. Ellen said that there was a brief time in the 70s that she believed she could fly, lol. I’m sure a lot of people feel that way today since it’s 420 and all ;-) She said that it was a tough song to take on, but that she thought Aaron handled it real good. Kara says that watching the performance was like taking off on a flight…it was kinda slow & stalling at the beginning, but he finally took off & got there by the end. Hmm, I just didn’t feel he pulled it off in the end…didn’t happen for me this time. Simon says that Aaron had guts to take on this song & that he gave it his all. However, he said that he would have turned it off within 10 seconds if he would have heard it on the radio. So in other words, he gave it his best, but his best wasn’t good enough.

Siobhan Magnus: Singing “When You Believe” by Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey. Alicia said that it’s not an easy feat to sing this song. She says that she’s very impressed with Siobhan’s voice because she’s doing things that not many people can do. She suggested that Siobhan take a dramatic pause at the point in the song where she sings a big note so that everyone knows this is a special moment. Siobhan had just an awful performance last week, so it’s good to hear her sing a song that goes well with her voice. The judges have made a big deal about the screaming she does, but I think she sounds best when she sings really pretty, melodic songs like this. This song really showcases the beauty of her voice. I think it could have sounded a tad more exciting like when Whitney & Mariah performed it, but that’ll take a few years before Siobhan is at that level of showmanship. She did much better this week though…much better! Randy said that she picked the toughest song of the night & he didn’t agree with the song choice. He said her performance was just okay for him. Ellen disagreed & said that Siobhan choosing a difficult song is just more confirmation as to why she’s in the competition. Kara said that technically it may have been really well sung, but it was way too dramatic for her like a musical. Now I have to disagree with Kara on that one. This song was from the “Prince of Egypt” soundtrack & it was meant to be dramatic! Whatever. Simon also didn’t like the song choice & thought it was a bit all over the place. Um, hello…Did these people hear how pretty she sounded singing it? Geez!

Michael Lynche: Singing “Hero” by Chad Kroeger. Alicia loved that Michael chose this song & is singing his own rendition of it. She suggested that Big Mike bring the audience along on the ride during the performance & take them to the highest point. I loved how Michael sounded at the beginning of the song because it was really moving & tender. I felt that he was really connecting with the song. But when all of the instruments came in, I didn’t feel as touched. It was a pretty good performance though. Randy said that he was really concerned about this song choice for Michael, but that he held his own & it worked out in the end. Ellen says she thought he did a great job. Kara said it wasn’t her favorite performance by Michael. She didn’t feel he had the correct tone for the song, so it was unrecognizable for her. Simon says that Mike sang the song pretty well, but that the song was about Spiderman so it bothered him, lol. But he said that he still thinks Mike’ll be around next week.

Crystal Bowersox: Singing “People Get Ready” by Curtis Mayfield. Alicia says that Crystal is very very special & is one of her favorites. I was kinda blown away with just how gorgeous Crystal’s voice sounded singing the song acapella at the beginning! I mean, I’ve always thought she had a gorgeous voice, but this was the 1st time that she put it on display without instruments accompanying her. She stood there onstage without her guitar & just sang her heart out! Nobody can compare her to Melissa Etheridge or Bonnie Raitt tonight! This girl is still my pick to win the entire season! Oh my God, and she cried at the end of the performance…aww :-) She said she got so emotional because she was happy to see her dad in the audience tonight! Randy said it was unbelievable & gave her a standing ovation! Ellen said that Crystal has never looked more beautiful. She also said the performance was so beautiful. Kara said that Crystal took a risk by putting down her guitar tonight. She said that she was on another level & schooled all the rest of the contestants! Simon said THAT was inspirational. He said he was happy to see Crystal being emotional tonight & that she sang it fantastically. He said she was in an entirely different class from everything he’s heard tonight.

Crystal Bowersox had THE BEST performance of the night. Anyone who says differently is obviously too high because of 420, lol. Here’s the deal on tomorrow’s show…

This year, IDOL GIVES BACK will broadcast live from the AMERICAN IDOL stage and the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, where Queen Latifah will emcee the evening and some of music’s biggest stars, including Carrie Underwood, The Black Eyed Peas, Annie Lennox, Jeff Beck & Joss Stone and Mary J. Blige & the All-Star Band, will perform. In addition, the week’s voting results will be revealed, sending one of the finalists home.

Which 2 Contestants Were Voted Off American Idol? Here Are The Results!

April 14th, 2010

After 34 million votes, 2 contestants will be leaving the American Idol Season 9 Top 9 tonight in a double elimination! Adam Lambert, Brooke White & Justin Gaston are all performing tonight.

The contestants kicked off the show by singing a medley of Elvis Presley songs. As I’m watching them perform, I could swear that they’re lip syncing. Hmm, that’s kinda not cool. Btw, I saw a story on the news earlier this week where some singers in China were charged $7,500 dollars for illegal lip syncing…that’s right, lip syncing is against the law in China! Lol! Can you imagine how many American artists would be fined if we outlawed lip syncing?! Wow.

After a break, they showed the contestants in a new Ford commercial. The results followed with Casey James, Aaron Kelly & Andrew Garcia all being brought to center stage. Andrew was told that it’s the end of the road for him.

The camera immediately pans to a sad Lee Dewyze since he & Andrew have become the best of friends. This is sad because at the beginning of the season, I could have sworn that Andrew would have been a serious contender for the title of American Idol. But along the way, he lost his luster. Casey & Aaron are told they’re safe as Andrew sings his goodbye performance.

After another break, touching footage was shown from a trip that judge Kara DioGuardi took to Africa with Season 5 contestant Elliott Yamin in honor of Idol Gives Back. Then Season 7 contestant Brooke White performed a duet with Justin Gaston. You may remember Justin from a few different things…he briefly dated Miley Cyrus, he starred as the love interest in Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” video, He was in the “Nashville Star” Season 6 & he’s currently on the interactive web series “If I Can Dream.”

After yet another break, more results are revealed. Tim Urban, Crystal Bowersox, Michael Lynche, Katie Stevens, Siobhan Magnus & Lee Dewyze were all told to join Ryan at center stage. Crystal was told she was safe. The same for Siobhan who, in my opinion, had the worst performance of last night. Lee was also told he was safe. That left Tim, Big Mike & Katie Stevens onstage. Judging from lack of talent alone, Tim should be the one going home. But we won’t find out if he or one of the other two goes home until after Adam Lambert performs.

After a break, Season 8 runner up & this week’s mentor Adam Lambert performed his hit “What Do You Want From Me.” I love that he brought lots of drama at the beginning of the song by singing it slowly in abstract lights, lasers & fog. Adam looks great tonight! The guyliner is still serious, but not overdone. I thought the dark, mysterious lighting was cool for the beginning of the song, but they could have lit the stage a little brighter for the rest of the performance. Adam was probably the best mentor on Idol so far this season. He really gave some great pointers to the contestants. Btw, Adam’s got a new “Remixes” EP on sale now.

After a final break, we get back to the final 3 contestants standing… Tim, Mike & Katie. Tim was told he was safe, which means someone more talented than him is going home tonight. Ryan reveals that Big MIke wasn’t even in the Bottom 3 this week, which means he really redeemed himself this week after being saved from elimination by the judges last week. And that vote of confidence from Adam Lambert last night that Big Mike should be a contender for American Idol, sure didn’t hurt. I’m sure that won him a lot of Adam Lambert fan votes. That means that little Katie Stevens is going home :-(

Katie’s really talented & as young as she is, was one of the most vocally talented contestants of this season. As she sang her goodbye song, she was a little choked up and her voice trembled & cracked a bit.

And there you have it…Andrew Garcia & Katie Stevens were the 2 contestants voted off this week. That done, here’s the 1st official photo of the new Top 7!

Next week in honor of Idol Gives Back, the Top 7 will sing Inspirational songs while Alicia Keys mentors them!

Also, Elton John will sing next Wednesday during “Idol Gives Back” on behalf of his AIDS Foundation. He joins Carrie Underwood, Black Eyed Peas, Annie Lennox, Jeff Beck, Joss Stone and Mary J. Blige. Btw, Queen Latifah will be co-hosting the Idol Gives Back festivities!